“Kinky is not synonymous with open-minded. You say that he’s deep without presenting any actual evidence.”

“But I explained how things like the Bloody Good Table help position the vampire community within the larger community,” I said. “The Vampire Council is concerned about Wilcox, which is evidence aplenty, and Wilcox didn’t want to drag my vacation down with ponderous matters, because Wilcox is sensitive to others’ needs.”

“You just like saying his name.”

“Well, obviously. Wil-cox. So what do you think?”

“Why rush full tilt into a relationship with this vampire–surfer–political activist–sex maniac when you’re still involved with Ian and haven’t recovered from Oswald?”

It was a real question, so I thought before answering. “I felt different around Wilcox, a little like the way I used to be before …”

“‘Before’ you always complained that no one took you seriously. You went through party boys like they had a one-month expiration date and you barely held on to your apartment. Do you really want to go back to that?”

“Not that exactly, but I miss the belief that I’d meet someone who was both fantastic and a good person, someone who made a positive difference in the world. A vampire–surfer–political activist might be just the right kind of dude for me. He’s more admirable than a louche continental smoothie.”

“I’m only going to say one thing about Ian. I think you are too ready to find fault with him because he’s not Oswald.” Her phone rang; when Mercedes finished the call, she said, “If you update the club calendar, I’ll give you a bowl of peanuts and a Bloody Mary.”

While I worked on the My Dive website, Juanita and the Rat Dogs rehearsed the same new song for hours. Each time they played it, I liked it more.

When I went to get Rosemary from Mercedes’s office, I saw her taking something out of a small padded envelope and grimacing.

“What’s that?” I asked.

She held up a brushed aluminum flash drive. “One of Los Hackeros sent me this as a present.” Los Hackeros was her nickname for her inner circle of computer hackers. “He designed a worm that he says can bypass any firewall and implode a system. Hackers have a strange way of showing admiration.” She tossed the flash drive in her trash can.

Before I could say good-bye to her, her soundman came by to talk about equipment. When she got up to talk to him, I reached into the trash can, took out the flash drive, and put it in my pocket. I’d delete the worm file without opening it, and then I could use the drive.

I waved good-bye to Mercedes, and I took my dog and went home.